Fence-post



(No Model.)

. W. P. HITGHCOGK.

FENCE POST.

No. 542,853. Patented'July 16, 1895.

UNITED STATES ATENT FFICE.

FENCE-POST.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 542,853,dated July 16, 1895.

Application filed November 28, 1894. Serial No. 530,256. (No model.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM P. HITCHCOCK, of Lake township, in the county of Huscatine and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fence-Posts; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form part of this specification.

My invention is an improved metallic fencepost especially designed for wire fences, but applicable for other kinds also. Its object is to produce alight, durable, stiff metallic fencepost which can be economically manufactured from sheet metal or cast, can be easily put in place and firmly anchored when i-nthe ground, and to which wires, 850., can be readily fastened or detached.

The invention consists in the construction of post summarized in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the post constructed especially for wirefence purposes, Figure l is a perspective view of the post, showing sections of longitudinal fence-wires attached thereto. Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the post on line 2 2, Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a sheet-metal plate or blank of which the post is formed.

Referring to said drawings by letter, the post A is L-shaped in cross-section, having two vertical portions B O, which stand at substantially right angles to each other, and one or both said portions may be, if desired, tapered upwardly, so that the upper end of post is smaller than its base at the surface of the ground. The outer edge I) of portion B is turned back upon itself on the face adjoining portion 0, and in this bent edge of portion B is a series of alternate slots 1) B, the former beingvertically shorterthan thelatter. These slots leave outstanding pairs of loops B on the outer edge of portion B, as shown, and after the post is in place the wires W are slipped laterally into slots 1), and then a pin or piece of wire to is slipped through the'loops, so as to confine the wiresin the slots, as shown in Fig. 1. If desired, a piece of wire long enough to run through all the loops B may be used. The simplicity of the fasten ing'is obvious from the drawings. I do not limit my invention to such a slotted edge, however,

To the portion 0 near its lower edge is attached the anchor D, which, as herein shown, is formed of a triangular piece out from the bottom of portion D and having its lower end (1 turned inward perpendicular to portion C, but inclined upwardly at an angle of about forty-five degrees. This end dis the anchor proper, and, being beneath the surface of the ground, assists in preventing lateral vibration of the post and does preventits vertical movement, so that it cannot, when properly planted, be pulled up or driven I down. The anchor is above the lower end of post, however, so that in planting the post it is not necessary to dig a deep hole, as the end of post can be driven into the ground until anchor D strikes it. I do not consider this anchor indispensable, though very desirable, and it might be attached to the portion B or formed integral with or out of either wing. Its utility being made known, variations in its construction and location would be obvious.

While the posts might be cast, I propose and prefer to make them of sheet-steel or other malleable metal as follows:

Referring to Fig. 3, P designates a metallic plate, which, if divided on lines 1, will form blanks for posts A. Each blank Ais slotted, as at b B, along its tapered edge for the de sired distance, and a triangular piece D is cut from the larger end of the blank by severing it on line 2. Afterward the blank is bent upon itself along the dotted line 3, which centrally intersects the openings b B. Next the blank is bent along the dotted line 4 until the portion 0 is substantially perpendicular to the portion D. Then the triangular piece D is bent along the line 5 until the smaller triangle is perpendicular to the larger triangle, and then the larger triangle is fastened at its longest edge to the side of portion 0 a desired distance above the smaller end of post. manner of forming the posts will be obvious from the description and drawings. It may This be varied. The blanks might be longitudinally cut from metal strips.

The post thus formed possesses ad vantages of lightness, stiffness, durability, economy of metal, capability of being nested for transportation, ease of planting, stability when planted, and an effective simple means for attaching wires, (be, thereto.

Having thus described my invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent thereon, is

1. A metallic fence post formed of a metal plate bent upon itself so as to beL-shaped in cross section and beveled at its lower end, and also having the outer edge of one side portion bent upon itself and aseries of transverse slots in said bent edge substantially as described the portions between the slots forming loops, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. A metallic fence post formed of a metal plate bent upon itself so as to be L-shaped in cross section and beveled at its lower end,

and also having the outer edge of one side portion bent upon itself and aseries of transverse slots in said bent edge, the portions between the slots forming loops;and an anchor plate D, attached to the lower end of the post, having bent end d, all substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. In a wire fence the combination of a me tallic fence post L-shaped in cross section, having one side beveled at its lower end, and its outer edge bent upon itself and transversely slotted substantially as described, and an anchor plate D, attached to lower end of the other side; with the wires W and wirefasteuings to, all constructed and arranged substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

VVILLTAM P. HITCH, COCK.

Witnesses:

H. O. MoALis'rnn, 'l. R. FITZGERALD. 

